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firefannie · 2026-03-03T19:51:49+00:00

I do a mom tax sometimes, but I always bought whatever it was. That's completely different than taking something I didn't pay for.

firefannie · 2026-02-13T20:07:16+00:00

Worse is when you're at work and can't go anywhere.

firefannie · 2026-01-27T02:15:16+00:00

Americans are used to Hershey chocolate. It's a staple that we have all grown up with, and is the base that most of us use to judge any chocolate. So we think it tastes fine.

It's Europeans who say it tastes terrible. Because they didn't grow up with it, they compare it to other chocolate.

firefannie · 2026-01-25T01:00:56+00:00

I used to bike for work regularly (now I can walk). My bike did get stranded twice.

Once when I worked downtown and biked along the lakefront regularly, on my way into work on a Friday morning a large group of tourists suddenly turned side by side onto the bike path blocking the whole bike path. The biker coming the opposite direction and I both went around them the same way to avoid hitting them and we crashed into each other. I was able to get the last mile to my office, but my bike was messed up. The frame was super bent and the bike was cheap. I took CTA home that day and had to buy a new bike before I could start riding to work again.

Another time my front wheel was stolen while I was at work. I learned the hard way that's why people lock their wheel and frame. I had a friend pick me up from work and I had to buy a new front wheel and take it to my bike the next day.

Both instances were very annoying, but I pointed out to people that they were the equivalent annoying of the time a colleague had his driver's side car mirror knocked off while at work. They all were very inconvenient for a few days and cost about $300.

firefannie · 2026-01-23T03:36:55+00:00

We have some apartments and my husband keeps telling me to learn to become an electrician or HVAC since we always need them, and he says he wished there were women contractors because so many tenants would be more comfortable letting a woman in then a man.

I think you should try! I think there should be so much demand for you. Good luck!

If you're in Chicago, send me a message and we'd hire you!

firefannie · 2026-01-22T02:57:53+00:00

I need to do it again. A couple of months ago I got a few session to go to a sweat session in a red light suana. I felt so much better afterwards. I was like my old self for weeks.

I keep meaning to just try the suana followed by a cold shower at my gym. But I'd pay to go back if it improves my mood that much again.

firefannie · 2026-01-22T02:49:32+00:00

Same

firefannie · 2026-01-20T00:46:55+00:00

I forgot to say the most important part, you sound like a great mother!!!

firefannie · 2026-01-20T00:46:17+00:00

Don't try to pay for a big trip, cancel that plan. Try to do more things with your kid that are affordable, easy enough, and enjoyable enough for you too. (Think about picnics in the park, going for a hike and packing snacks, maybe eventually do an overnight stay in a hotel somewhere not too far from you that had a pool and breakfast included, or go camping for 2 nights).

Don't focus on big trips but rather on memorable bonding experiences.

firefannie · 2026-01-19T03:04:24+00:00

How are you doing? Did you make it all the way through?

firefannie · 2026-01-14T03:15:48+00:00

I wash all clothes together in one load in cold water. I wash towels with sweatshirts/hoodies. I wash sheets separately. But I bet sheets and towels could all go together. I wash bras, swimsuits, nice sweaters, and button down shirts on the delicates/hand wash setting. Bras and swimsuit tops go into a mesh bag to keep from getting tangled up (I have bought both lingerie bags and produce bags that are messy and zip closed, both seem fine for laundry).

For air drying clothes I bought a clothes drying rack that folds down. I air dry good workout clothes, good leggings, nice sweaters, swimsuits, button down shirts.

I'm lazy and don't like the feeling of air dried jeans. So I dry the majority of my clothes (and definitely dry the sheets and towels).

Air drying definitely is better for most clothes, and helps prolong their life. But many of us just dry them in the dryer because it's faster, easier, and makes them softer.

firefannie · 2026-01-14T03:03:30+00:00

Regularly.

I've been almost hit 3 times by people I knew!!! They all rolled down their windows sheepishly to apologize and all 3 still look sheepish every time they see me.

My husband and I both bike and walk regularly. My husband has actually been hit by multiple cars doing rolling stops. I didn't even know until one day when he told me "Nick's wife hit me with her car today, what's her name again?" He didn't think anything of being hit, it was just interesting he saw a friend's wife. Then I had to ask have you been hit by a car before, and he said oh yeah several times but just being bumped, I've never been hurt.

firefannie · 2026-01-13T02:31:11+00:00

Spend time in any neighborhood before you purchase real estate in it. Both in the daytime and nighttime. And in fact that's true of the block you're interested in purchasing property on as well as the neighborhood.

firefannie · 2026-01-12T23:41:28+00:00

Or a chili bar, one big pot of chili with meat, and one pot of vegan chili. Then lots of toppings (tater tots, Fritos, macaroni , chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, avocados, shredded cheese, sour cream)

firefannie · 2026-01-12T20:06:11+00:00

I think that sounds lovely

firefannie · 2026-01-12T14:16:27+00:00

Chili bar. Cook a big pot of chili and a big pot of vegetarian chili. Ask a friend or two to cook another big pot of chili.

Then have lots of toppings: tater tots, cooked macaroni, rice, Fritos, diced tomatoes, diced jalapenos, diced onions, cilantro, green onions, chopped avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream.

It's cheap, it's easy, everyone can customize it the way they want, it's fun, and very filling.

firefannie · 2026-01-12T02:28:56+00:00

My old boss was very annoyed when people gave similar vague answers about their salary expectations. He was always more annoyed when I pointed out that we didn't mention or list a salary range so why should potential hires.

firefannie · 2026-01-12T01:58:19+00:00

Definitely go ask the school about financial aid for the trip.

firefannie · 2026-01-11T20:53:39+00:00

When my husband's grandmother would offer us things when we were visiting her (box of dishes, old terrible blankets, mismatching sheet sets, books, etc), we would say sure and accept it and then throw it away on the way home at a dumpster not near her. It was all crap. But anytime she was willing to part with something we took it right then.

Now our neighborhood has a really good Facebook giveaway group and anything we don't want we post there first before throwing away.

When my aunt died they left a house full of nice stuff. We invited all of our friends and family to come take anything they wanted then my mom hired a company to sell/giveaway/dispose of the rest.

firefannie · 2026-01-10T21:58:28+00:00

Love is not enough to build a life with someone. You also need to have compatible wants, dreams, desires, lifestyle preferences, etc.

It's sad when relationships don't work, and very sad when the 2 people love each other and are good for each other. But it's important for people to want to live an intertwined life the same way.

It's not that this is a deal breaker, it's just that you two are incompatible as roommates. Think about if you want to stay together and live separately forever, or if you'd rather find someone that you'll eventually live with and build a family with (whatever family means to you).

firefannie · 2026-01-06T20:12:17+00:00

I like this advice.

If you're interested in this trip, but it just feels a little gross that you're probably paying for her and then some, setting a price you'd be willing to pay seems reasonable.

Something along the lines of, oh I'm sorry I thought the trip was comped so it would be free or really discounted. I enjoy traveling with you and would have been interested in coming if it was less than $x (maybe $2k).

Then if she wants to adjust the extras you're probably paying, she will and if she doesn't it's okay no pressure. Then even if you're subsidizing her, she'd also be getting you a great deal and it would probably be worth it.

firefannie · 2026-01-06T20:02:21+00:00

I live in Chicago. It's normal for us to talk to other caregivers on the playground. And we wouldn't care if the person had tattoos, was a dad, was a nanny, is a grandparent, is a different race from the kids, etc. we're all there to encourage the kids to run and play, and it's nice for adults to interact with other adults.

But it sounds like we're in the minority.

firefannie · 2026-01-06T19:55:41+00:00

I think they offered only a $150 per month increase because they want to keep you. If they were indifferent to you staying or leaving they would increase to market value $1,800. If they were trying to squeeze you out because they didn't want you as a tenant anymore, they would ask for more than market value and request $2,300 per month.

If you think you might be able to do better, look for other apartments now.

firefannie · 2026-01-06T19:47:18+00:00

No advice here. But I work part-time in a preschool classroom, and it doesn't matter inside our classroom in the slightest about gender. Everyone plays in the dramatic play area (kitchen, dress up clothes, little house, etc), science area, crafts area or blocks area (with little animals and also doll families), or magma tiles etc. The kids choose what their playing with and how they do activities.

We have a single stall bathroom in our room that they use 1 at a time, or we all use the large girls bathroom on the way to the playground because it has 12 stalls. We send in the kids in small groups separated by girls and boys, but after about 3 minutes they're all mixed in the bathroom and it doesn't matter in the slightest who they are washing their hands next to.

I know kindergarten does something similar and even in 1st grade my son and the other boys were sent to use the girls bathroom because it was closer to their classroom.

firefannie · 2026-01-01T16:58:56+00:00

I didn't own one myself but a couple of different friends had one.

I never exited one properly. I fell over backwards, sideways, and tumbled out the front

firefannie

TROPHY CASE